Device for changing the transport position of products

ABSTRACT

A device for changing the transport position of products such as sheet material signature fed to further processing units includes movable upper transport (4) and movable lower transport (7) in a transport plane (29). Products (22) are guided by the upper and lower transport (4, 7) in the transport plane (29). An alignment element (14, 15) attached on a rotary body (8) cyclically diverts the upper transport. Simultaneously, the position of the products (22) on said lower transport (7) is corrected by engagement with an abutment surface (19) on the alignment element (14, 15).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a device for changing the transportposition of products, and particularly of products fed to furtherprocessing units. In particular, the present invention relates to adevice for aligning sheet material products such as newspaper ormagazine signatures moving along a transport path so that the productsare not skewed relative to the transport path.

2. Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,152 discloses a sheet material folding apparatus inwhich the spacing of sequential products from leading edge to leadingedge is being reduced. Products to be transported are conveyed on afirst conveyor belt at almost the speed of an upstream printing press.The products are then transferred to a second conveyor belt which movesat a lower conveying speed. The conveyor belts are preferably formed asvacuum belts, in order to lend support to the products to be conveyed;however, the products conveyed thereon are not aligned before they arefed into an angular longitudinal folding device. In order to maintainthe products in position on the vacuum belts, suction means must beprovided below the conveyor belts which secure the product to be foldedalso during the performance of the longitudinal fold. As a result, theproducts may be subjected to very strong mechanical forces which, in thecase of very thin product materials, can even result in damage to theproducts. This type of suction system is costly and has adisadvantageous effect on product quality under certain conditions ofproduction.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2-184717 discloses a mechanism forcorrecting the skew feeding of paper sheets. The paper sheets which aregripped by several transport rollers are conveyed by a conical rolleragainst a side guide which aligns the sheets. The corrective movement ofa paper sheet whose orientation is to be corrected initially takes placefrom the middle of the paper sheet. This device, too, puts high strainon thin product materials, which can cause damage to the individualproducts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the prior art mentioned above, it is the object of thepresent invention to provide for a position correction of products beingtransported, whereby the product material is handled gently.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve the precisionof the feed of the products into a subsequent processing unit such as afolder.

It is a further object of the present invention to eliminate a costlyvacuum system and thereby lower manufacturing cost.

The present invention is a device for changing the position of productsbeing fed to a processing unit. The device includes movable upper andlower transport members for engaging upper and lower sides of theproducts and for moving the products in a transport plane. The deviceincludes means for cyclically diverting the upper transport member awayfrom the lower transport member and for simultaneously aligning theproducts between the upper and lower transport members. The means fordiverting and for aligning includes a rotatable body having a productalignment element which moves into the transport plane to divert theupper transport member and to align the products.

The present invention is also a method of aligning the leading edge of asheet material product perpendicular to a transport path along which thesheet material product is being transported by being gripped betweenparallel spaced upper and lower tapes moving at a transport speed. Themethod includes the steps of rotating an alignment element into aposition in the transport path ahead of the sheet material productleading edge and disposed perpendicular to the transport path; engagingthe upper tape with the alignment element to lift the upper tape off thesheet material product; moving the alignment element along the transportpath ahead of the moving sheet material product at a speed lower thanthe transport speed; engaging the sheet material product leading edgewith the alignment element to align the leading edge of the sheetmaterial product perpendicular to the transport path; rotating thealignment element out of the transport path; and lowering the upper tapeonto the sheet material product to grip the sheet material productbetween the upper and lower tapes.

The invention has the advantage that during alignment of the productsbeing transported the mechanical strain on the products is drasticallyreduced, because of the diversion of the upper transport means. In thismanner, the products can simply be slidingly moved on the lowertransport means by the alignment elements. Furthermore, it is of greatadvantage that the alignment elements on the rotary body move atapproximately the conveying speed of the products being transported,whereby any differences in speed occurring between the leading edge ofthe products and the alignment elements can be reduced to a minimum.This ensures alignment that is gentle on the products. After alignment,the products on the lower transport means, in their aligned state, aresecured or clamped or gripped again by the upper transport means.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotational axis of therotary body is oriented perpendicular to the transport path or conveyingdirection of the products. This has a uniform aligning effect on theproducts across their entire respective leading edges.

The rotary body can either be designed as a cylinder extending acrossthe width of the transport plane, or as a plurality of individual disksconnected for rotation with each other and arranged on a rotationalaxis. Each rotary body is provided with a flattened portion for easyattachment of the respective alignment element.

If the rotary body is designed as a cylinder extending across the widthof the transport plane, a single alignment element extending across theentire width of the cylinder is attached. This single alignment elementis provided with individual recesses for receiving the lower transportmeans, in order that the lower transport means may not be contacted ordamaged. The respective recesses of the alignment element are defined byspaced edge portions which extend above the lower transport means tolift and separate the upper transport means from the upper side of theproduct. The alignment element edge portions thus cyclically divert theupper transport means from the transport plane as the rotary bodyrotates the alignment element into and out of the transport plane.Simultaneously, the leading edge of the more rapidly moving product isengaged by abutment surfaces on the more slowly moving alignmentelement. The product thus aligns itself with the alignment element,perpendicular to the transport path. Since the alignment element ismoved along with the products, differences in speed between the productsand the abutment surfaces of the alignment element are minimal, so thatgentle handling of the products is ensured.

If the rotary body is formed as individual disks arranged side by sideon the rotational axis, each respective disk is associated with one of aplurality of transport means. Each individual disk has an individualalignment element which likewise has a recess defined by spaced edgeportions. Since these individual disks are arranged side by side,alignment of the products across the width of the transport plane isrealized by this embodiment also.

The projected length of the envelope curve of the alignment elementaround the rotational axis of the rotary body corresponds to the cut-offlength of a product, including gain, while the distance between therotational axis of an upper tape roller and the alignment elements,which project perpendicularly into the transport plane, correspondsapproximately to the cut-off length of a product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presentinvention pertains from a reading of the following description withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial perspective view of an alignment device inaccordance with the present invention including a rotary body composedof individual disks arranged side by side and having respectiveindividual alignment elements;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and showing a rotary body formed as acylinder having a single alignment element;

FIGS. 3-7 are a series of sequential views illustrating the course ofmovement of the alignment element through angular increments of therotary body;

FIG. 8 is a schematic side elevational view of the alignment device ofFIG. 1 and showing a brush roller;

FIG. 9 is a schematic front elevational view of a single disk rotarybody with an alignment element; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIGS. 3-7 illustrating the locations wherean imaginary product leading edge would be if an alignment had not takenplace.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a rotary body 8 composed of a plurality of individual disks13 connected for rotation with each other and arranged side by sidebelow a transport plane 29. Above the transport plane 29, there arearranged two spaced upper tape rollers 1 and 3. The tape roller 1rotates around a rotational axis 2.

A plurality of parallel upper transport tapes 4, equally spaced from oneanother, move around the upper tape rollers 1 and 3. Below the transportplane 29, there are arranged two lower tape rollers 5 and 6, aroundwhich there move a plurality of parallel lower transport tapes 7. Eachupper transport tape 4 overlies and is wider than its associated lowertransport tape 7.

Below the transport plane 29, which is defined by the transport tapes 4and 7, the rotary body 8 rotates around a rotational axis 10 and ismounted in a machine side wall (not shown) by its shaft 11. The axis 10is vertically adjustable by moving the shaft 11 and rotary body 8vertically, in a known manner with suitable structure indicatedschematically at 32 for adjusting the position of a roll. The axis 10 isoriented perpendicular to a conveying direction or transport path 31 ofthe products 22.

On each of the disks 13, there is an alignment element 14 which isformed with a recess 16. Each recess 16 is defined by a pair ofspaced-apart edge portions 18. Each recess is wider than the lower tape7 but narrower than the upper tape 4. The individual alignment elements14 are fixed on respective flattened portions 9 provided on each of thedisks 13 in this specific embodiment.

Upon rotation of the rotary body 8--and thereby of the alignmentelements 14--into the transport plane 29, the lower, narrower transporttapes 7 are received in the recesses 16. As shogun in FIG. 1, the uppertransport tapes 4 are lifted by the alignment element edge portions 18,thereby releasing the frictional contact between the upper tapes and theupper side surface of a product 22 being transported. The product 22 ispreferably a sheet material product such as a newspaper or magazine orbook, or a signature thereof.

FIG. 2 shows a rotary body designed as a cylinder which includes asingle alignment element. In this embodiment of the invention, acylinder 12 extending across the width of the transport plane 29 isused, in place of the multiple disks 13 arranged side by side. Thecylinder 12, being borne by its shaft 11, rotates around a rotationalaxis 10. In place of multiple alignment elements 14 (see FIG. 1), thecylinder now has one single alignment element 15. This alignment element15, being situated below the lower transport tapes 7, is provided withindividual recesses 17, so that the lower transport tapes 7 may not bedamaged during the rotation of the rotary body 8.

As in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the upper transport tapes 4are diverted upward from the transport plane 29 by the diverting edgeportions 18 of the alignment element 15. In this manner, the uppertransport tapes 4 release their grip on a product 22 being transported,which now merely rests on the lower transport tapes 7.

In FIGS. 3-7, the course of the alignment movement and divertingmovement is illustrated in terms of the angular increments of the rotarybody.

FIG. 3 shows an alignment element 14 in motion in the transport plane29. The alignment element 14 is fixed on a flattened portion 9 of therotary body 8 (be it a cylinder or a disk) by means of a screwconnection 21. An abutment or engagement surface 19 is formed on thatpart of the alignment element which is opposed to the rotating direction20 of the rotary body 8. The product 22 being transported is grippedbetween the upper and lower transport tapes 4 and 7 and, while beingtransported, engages the abutment surface 19 of the alignment element14.

The rotary body 8 is rotated about the axis 10 by a suitable known meansfor rotating indicated schematically at 33. The rotation of the rotarybody 8 is timed so that the alignment element (14 or 15) is cyclicallymoved into the transport plane 29 just ahead of a product 22 moving inthe direction 31. The rotary body 8 is rotated at a speed of rotationsuch that the moving alignment element (14 or 15), when in the transportplane 29, moves at a speed slightly slower than the transport speed ofthe moving products 22. Thus, a product 22 can catch up to the moreslowly moving alignment element 14 or 15 and can be slightly retardedthereby and thus be aligned by contact with the alignment element.

In FIG. 4, the upper transport tapes 4 start to be lifted or divertedfrom the transport plane 29 by the diverting edges 18 of the alignmentelement 14. The frictional contact between the upper transport tapes 4and the upper side surface of the product 22 is thus interrupted.Simultaneously, the leading edge 23 of the product 22 engages theabutment surface 19 of the alignment element 14. The alignment element14 is moving slightly slower than the transport speed of the product 22.Thus, a position correction of the product 22 on the lower transporttapes 7 can be achieved by the alignment element 14 moving into thetransport plane 29 and engaging and aligning the moving product 22. Thecurvature of the abutment surface 19 facilitates the correction.

From FIG. 5, it can be recognized that when the projection of thealignment element 14 into the transport plane 29 is at its maximum, thediversion of the upper transport tapes 4 from the transport plane 29 isalso at its maximum. As first seen in FIG. 4 and continued in FIG. 5,the frictional contact between the upper transport tapes 4 and the upperside of the products 22 is gradually negated, whereby an easier andconsequently more careful manner of alignment of the products 22 ispossible at the abutment surface 19. The products 22 merely rest on thelower transport tapes 7 and, thus, their position can be influenced moreeasily by sliding the products along the lower tapes. Because theabutment surfaces 19 extend across the width of the transport plane29--be it on the alignment elements 14 or 15--a uniform effect on theproducts 22, particularly on their leading edges 23, is ensured, and thestrain exerted on the material of the products is almost none.

In FIG. 6, the alignment element 14 rotates downward again out of thetransport plane 29. The products 22 engaging the abutment surface 19gradually are captured or clamped or gripped in their correct (aligned)position as the upper transport tapes 4 are lowered into the transportplane 29 and grip the upper side surface of the products 22.

In FIG. 7, the alignment elements 14 are completely out of the transportplane 29. The product 22, being in an aligned transport position, now isgripped by the upper and lower transport tapes 4 and 7 and guided alongthe transport path.

Through the sequence illustrated in FIGS. 3-7, the distance along thetapes 4 and 7 between the individual products 22 to be transported, aswell as the position on the tapes 4 and 7 of individual displaced ortwisted products 22, can easily be corrected on the lower transporttapes 7. This enables a considerable improvement, for example, of thequality of a folding operation in a subsequent folding unit (not shown)into which the products 22 are directed.

Complementary to FIG. 1, FIG. 8 shows the geometric relations betweenthe product 22 and the rotary body 8. The alignment element 14 or 15attached to the rotary body--be it a plurality of disks 13 or onecylinder 12--describes an envelope curve 24. The highest point of theenvelope curve 24 reaching into the transport plane 29 defines themaximum diversion or lifting of the upper transport tapes 4. Thediameter of the envelope curve is indicated with the arrow 25.

A vertical adjustment of the rotational axis 10--and therewith of therotary body 8--enables a degree of diversion of the upper transporttapes 4 which is adapted to the quality or thickness of the material ofthe products 22 being processed. If a product 22 is thicker than normal,it may be necessary, for example, to divert the upper transport tapes 4farther from the transport plane 29.

Additionally, a vertical adjustment of the rotary axis 10 together withits rotary body 8 causes a change of the correction value established bythis device with respect to the products 22 whose position on the lowertransport tapes 7 is adjusted accordingly. The correction value of theproducts 22 is dependent on the radius at which the products 22transported in the transport plane 29 abut at the alignment elements 14of the rotary body 8. The smaller the radius, the slower the alignmentelement 14 is moving, and so the bigger is the correction value forwhich the products 22 on the lower transport tapes 7 are aligned.

The vertical adjustment of the rotary axis 10, however, does notinfluence the relative speed between the upper transport tapes 4 and thealignment element 14. But when the alignment element 4 is verticallyadjusted with respect to the rotary body 8, the relative speed betweenthe upper transport tapes 4 and the alignment element 14 changes.

The projected length of the envelope curve 24 corresponds to the cut-offlength of the products 22 plus gain. In the device shown in FIG. 8,there is performed a cut-off during one revolution of the rotary body 8.It would also be possible to arrange two or more alignment elements 14on the circumference of the rotary body 8, whereby the number ofalignment elements 14 would have to correspond to the number of cut-offsper revolution. The distance 27 between the rotational axis 2 of theupper tape roller 1 and the alignment element 14 reachingperpendicularly into the transport plane is somewhat greater than thecut-off length of the products 22.

In order to maintain the contact between the products 22 and the lowertransport tapes 7, one or more brush rollers 30 can be arranged in thespaces between the transport tapes 4, 7. In the embodiment shown in FIG.8, the brush rollers 30 are provided opposite the rotary body 8 havingan alignment element 14.

FIG. 9 is a front view of an alignment element 14 on a disk 13. Thealignment element 14 is attached on the flattened portion 9 of the disk13 rotating around a rotational axis 10. The alignment element 14 isfastened to the disk 13 by means of a screw connection 21, so as to bedisplaceable in vertical direction, if required. In the middle of thealignment element 14, there is formed a recess 16 within which the lowertransport tape 7 moves while the upper transport tape 4 rests on thediverting edge portions 18 of the alignment element. On the rear part ofthe alignment element 14, the slightly curved abutment surface 19 isformed.

FIG. 10 shows how an imaginary product leading edge 28 would bepositioned on the lower transport tapes 7 if the products were notaligned. For the sake of illustration, the position of an imaginaryproduct leading edge 28 is compared with a corresponding position of thealignment element 14 shown in small angular increments. With the presentinvention, an undesired change of position of the products 22 duringtransport before entering into a further processing unit such as afolder can effectively be prevented.

From the above description of the invention, those skilled in the artwill perceive improvements, changes and modifications in the invention.Such improvements, changes and modifications within the skill of the artare intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Having described the invention, the following is claimed:
 1. A devicefor changing the position of products being fed to a processing unit,said device comprising:movable upper and lower transport means forengaging upper and lower sides of the products and for moving theproducts in a conveying direction in a transport plane; and means forcyclically diverting the upper transport means away from the lowertransport means and for simultaneously aligning the products between theupper and lower transport means, said means for diverting and foraligning comprising a rotatable body having a product alignment elementwhich moves into said transport plane to divert said upper transportmember and to align the products.
 2. A device according to claim 1,wherein said rotary body is rotatable about a rotational axis orientedperpendicular to the conveying direction of the products.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein said rotational axis of said rotary bodyis adjustable vertically with respect to the conveying direction of saidproducts.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary bodyincludes a flattened portion, said alignment element being verticallyadjustably mounted on said flattened portion.
 5. A device according toclaim 1, wherein the rotary body comprises a cylinder extending acrossthe width of the transport plane.
 6. A device according to claim 5,wherein said alignment element on said cylinder extends across the widthof the transport plane.
 7. A device according to claim 5, wherein saidalignment element on said cylinder includes surfaces defining aplurality of recesses below the lower transport means.
 8. A deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein the individual recesses of the alignmentelement are defined by diverting edge portions.
 9. A device according toclaim 8, wherein the diverting edges separate said upper transport meansfrom said products and divert said upper transport means from thetransport plane.
 10. A device according to claim 6, wherein thealignment element is provided with an abutment surface for saidproducts.
 11. A device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary bodycomprises a plurality of individual disks connected for rotation witheach other side by side about a rotational axis.
 12. A device accordingto claim 11, wherein each of said disks is associated with respectivemovable upper and lower transport means.
 13. A device according to claim12, wherein each of said disks comprises an alignment element which isprovided with a recess.
 14. A device according to claim 13, wherein saidrecess is defined by diverting edges.
 15. A device according to claim14, wherein the diverting edges of said recesses separate the uppertransport means from the product and divert said upper transport meansfrom the transport plane.
 16. A device according to claim 13, whereineach of said alignment elements on said disks is provided with anabutment surface.
 17. A device according to claim 1, comprising an uppertape roller rotatable about a second axis and supporting said uppertransport means, wherein the projected length of the envelope curve ofsaid alignment element moving around said rotational axis of said rotarybody corresponds to the cut-off length plus gain of a product, and thedistance between said rotational axis of said upper tape roller and saidalignment element extending perpendicularly into the transport plane isgreater than the length of the product.
 18. A device as set forth inclaim 1 comprising means for rotating said rotatable body about an axisof rotation spaced from said transport plane, said product alignmentelement being fixed for rotational movement with said rotatable bodyabout said axis of rotation between a first position disposed out ofsaid transport plane and a second position extending into said transportplane.
 19. A device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said productalignment element has a first portion engageable with said uppertransport means when said product alignment element is in the secondposition and a second portion engageable with a respective productmoving in the transport plane, said first portion of said productalignment element comprising first surface means on said productalignment element for engaging said upper transport means and for movingsaid upper transport means out of the transport plane and away from therespective product being transported.
 20. A device as set forth in claim19 wherein said second portion of said product alignment elementcomprises second surface means on said product alignment element forengaging a leading edge portion of the respective product and foraligning the respective product relative to the conveying direction. 21.A device as set forth in claim 20 wherein said means for rotatingcomprises means for moving said product alignment element second surfacemeans at a speed along said transport path slower than the speed of themoving products whereby the product leading edge portion engages saidsecond surface means to retard movement of the product and thereby alignthe product.
 22. A device as set forth in claim 21 wherein said axis ofrotation and said second surface means extend perpendicular to theconveying direction.
 23. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidmovable upper and lower transport means comprise upper and lower tapesmovable along a transport path in said transport plane and engagingrespective upper and lower side surfaces of the products beingtransported;said means for cyclically diverting comprising means forrotating said rotatable body about an axis of rotation spaced from saidtransport plane and extending perpendicular to the conveying direction;said product alignment element comprising a first portion having firstsurface means for engaging said upper tape and for lifting the uppertape off said upper side surface of the products when said productalignment element moves into said transport plane; said productalignment element comprising a second portion having second surfacemeans for engaging respective leading edge portions of the products whensaid product alignment element moves into said transport plane; saidproduct alignment element second surface means extending perpendicularto the conveying direction; said means for rotating comprising means formoving said second surface means of said product alignment element inthe conveying direction at a speed slower than the transport speed ofthe products being transported.
 24. A device as set forth in claim 23wherein said product alignment element is sequentially movable uponrotation of said rotatable body from:a first position disposed belowsaid transport plane and spaced apart from said upper and lower tapesand from the products being transported; and thereafter to a secondposition extending into said transport plane, with said first surfacemeans engaging said upper tape and lifting the upper tape off said upperside surface of the products, and with said second surface meansengaging a leading edge portion of a respective product; and thereafterto a third position disposed on an opposite side of the second positionfrom said first position and below said transport plane and spaced apartfrom said upper and lower tapes and from the products being transported.25. A method of aligning the leading edge of a sheet material productperpendicular to a transport path along which the sheet material productis being transported by being gripped between parallel spaced upper andlower tapes moving at a transport speed, said method comprising thesteps of:rotating an alignment element into a position in the transportpath ahead of the sheet material product leading edge and disposedperpendicular to the transport path; engaging the upper tape with thealignment element to lift the upper tape off the sheet material product;moving the alignment element along the transport path ahead of themoving sheet material product at a speed lower than the transport speed;engaging the sheet material product leading edge with the alignmentelement to align the leading edge of the sheet material productperpendicular to the transport path; rotating the alignment element outof the transport path; and lowering the upper tape onto the sheetmaterial product to grip the sheet material product between the upperand lower tapes.